Tyranny is a lot like cancer. Early detection is a great thing.Stopping
cancer and tyranny in the early stages can prevent a world of hurt, pain
and death down the road.

In America, we enjoy a measure of freedom. However, we are not nearly as
free as we think we are. Our liberty is under assault from multiple
directions every day. This assault is not being waged by some dorko
in a cave in Afghanistan and his scary brown minions. Rather, it is
being waged by our own government. Already, "the land of the free" has
the world's highest incarceration rate. There is so much creeping
tyranny and so little time to address it all. And millions of Americans
are in total denial.

On October 6, 2007, Michael Marcavage, who heads up a group called
Repent America
(RA), was arrested right in front of the Liberty Bell Center in
downtown Philadelphia while preaching. Park Ranger Alan Saperstein
approached Marcavage and asked him if he had a permit. Marcavage
replied that, under the First Amendment, no such permit was required.
Saperstein then issued Marcavage a "verbal permit" and demanded that
he relocate to a "free speech zone" some distance away. Marcavage
continued to preach and was led away in handcuffs.

The following is from the
RA
press release detailing Marcavage's arrest and conviction.

"Under the direction of Ian Crane, chief ranger of Independence National
Historical Park, supervising ranger Alan Saperstein repeatedly approached
Marcavage to demand that he and the ministry team move to a 'free speech zone'
on the other side of the Liberty Bell Center, which was nowhere near those
entering or exiting. Adding insult to absurdity, Saperstein stated that in the
future that RA would need to obtain a written permit to even speak in the 'free
speech zone,' but given a 'verbal permit' to go there for the day, which
Marcavage refused, citing that constitutional protections were sufficient. When
it became apparent that Marcavage was not going to yield to the
unconstitutional demands, Saperstein arrested Marcavage and ordered the other
members of the ministry team off the public sidewalks. Ironically, Marcavage
was then physically escorted into the Liberty Bell Center for questioning and
charged with violating the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, § 1.6 Permits
(g)(2), which states that he violated the terms and conditions of a 'verbal
permit'a permit that Marcavage never accepted, nor is such a permit even
listed under the regulations. Subsequently, Marcavage was issued a citation
nearly six months later by certified mail concerning the same matter for
violating the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, § 2.32 (g)(1) + (2),
which states that he was 'interfering with agency functions' by preaching and
ministering to people on the public sidewalk.

"On June 13, 2008, Judge Rapoport found Michael Marcavage 'guilty' on both
charges under the Code of Federal Regulations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard
Goldberg argued that Marcavage's defense was 'propaganda' and that he was a
'clear and present danger' and asked the judge to send a message not only to
Marcavage, but to anyone who would dare stand on public property and share
their beliefs without government permission. In response, Judge Rapoport fined
Marcavage $445, including costs, and placed him on probation for one year,
which restricts his travel to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and bars
him from entering the park or being on the public sidewalks surrounding the
park for any reason without first notifying park authorities. He also cannot
return to engage in free speech activities without first obtaining a permit,
and only then in the designated 'free speech zone'. Directly following the
trial, Marcavage was escorted by U.S. Marshals to be booked for his 'crimes'.

A German proverb states that "Freedom dies in little pieces." When someone
else's liberty is attacked, your liberty is placed at risk. I recently did
a mass e-mailing urging people to oppose the reinstatement of the Fairness
Doctrine. You don't have to agree with Fox News or Rush Limbaugh. I certainly
don't. You just have to realize that the same First Amendment that protects
them protects you and me.

And if Uncle Sam can get away with violating Michael Marcavage's God-given
and constitutionally protected rights, then he can get away with violating
anyone's rights anywhere. And it isn't just the rights of evangelical
Christians. The "free exercise" clause of the First Amendment protects the
rights of Catholics, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs,
Zoroastrians, Shintoists, New Agers and believers in Mungabunga. It
protects atheists too.

The Old Testament prophet Daniel was thrown into the lion's den for defying
the decree of King Darius against praying to any god other than King
DariusDaniel 6. I once heard someone say that way too many contemporary
preachers would respond such a decree by saying things like "you can still
pray in your heart" or "it is only for 30 days." Indeed, the Bible is full
of civil
disobedience.

Daniel knew what so many contemporary Christians refuse to acknowledge:
when you give your government an inch, they take a mile.

America is not Nazi Germany. At least not yet. However, millions of people
are in total denial about their vanishing liberty. The case of Michael
Marcavage is not an isolated incident. Indeed,
in
2004 RA activists were threatened with 47 years in prison under a "hate
crimes"statute for publicly preaching against homosexuality.

There is a big fat lie going around nowadays about how Romans 13 commands
blind obedience to secular authority. NO IT DOES NOT! (1)
This is America. Power does not lie in Washington or Harrisburg or in the
whims of every petty functionary sporting a badge and leeching off of your
and my tax dollars. The "supreme Law of the Land" is the Constitution. Under
our Constitution power resides in "We the People." As John Marshall wrote in
Marbury v. Madison, "All laws repugnant to the Constitution are
void of law."

Actually, America has two constitutions.
One was ratified in Philadelphia in 1787. The other resides in the hearts
and minds of the people. And if "We the People" are nonchalant about our
liberty, our written Constitution becomes just a piece of paper.

Always remember the words of Pastor Martin Niemoller: "When the Nazis
came for the communists, I did not speak out because I was not a communist.
When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out because I was
not a trade unionist. When they came for the Catholics, I did not speak out
because I was a not a Catholic. When they came for the Jews, I did not speak
out because I was a not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one
left to speak for me."

Are you going to remain silent because they are coming for the Christians
and you are not a Christian? Are you going to remain silent because Michael
Marcavage is a Philadelphia Christian and you are, say, a Colorado Christian?
I hope not.

Notes

(1) Paul, who wrote Romans 13, was an incorrigible jail
bird. In fact, his letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and
Philemon were written in Roman jails.

(2) Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and
ask them to be a voice against this injustice and the ban on freedom of
religion and speech on the public sidewalks at Independence National
Historical Park. You may do so at
http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml Also, forward this to
your family and friends so that they can do the same.